The Mackinac Island Fire Department went above and beyond the call of duty Thursday to assist a crew-member from the tug/tanker Michigan/Great Lakes.

The ship, hove-to in ice east of the Mackinac Bridge near the Round Island Passage for the last couple of days, has been awaiting better weather since Feb. 25, was disconnected from shoreside help when a crewman received word that his mother had passed away.

The unidentified crewman wanted to attend the funeral and had few options for leaving the ship, until fire department personnel put together a plan to transport him from the vessel to the island’s airport.

The Coast Guard Station at St. Ignace was initially contacted and referred the non-emergency case to the Mackinac Island Fire Department.

After assembling equipment for an ice rescue and water safety, firemen walked more than a mile onto the ice to reach the vessel, where the crewman was lowered over the side of the ship to the ice. He was then taken by firemen to a snowmobile for transport to the Mackinac Island Airport.

“The Michigan is not stuck and can leave on its own when it is ready,” said Lt. j.g. Derek Puzzuoli, public affairs officer with Coast Guard Sector Sault. If needed, the cutter Hollyhock is due to pass through the Straits on Saturday, Puzzuoli added.

The articulated tug Michigan, 107 feet long, is linked to the 414-foot Michigan. The vessel carries fuel oil and gasoline and often visits the U.S. Oil Depot in the Cheboygan River.